Draco: As of this writing, I've gotten my hands on a copy of Pokémon Scarlet and had my way through a Paldean journey. The way I've written this as being so gratuitous (and the use of Virtual Singers as announcers making it easy to "record" new names for Pokémon and moves) means that if Grand Stage actually came about, I reckon it could probably make a seamless transition from a Generation VIII game to a Generation IX game. Director Clavell could find a seat in the Game Corner, have him explain he's on vacation during the academy's off season. Nemona has to vouch for you to get a Tera Orb, so that would require a victory in Arrival Coliseum, same as Korrina with the Key Stone. Maybe add a chef at Coronet Diner who knows how to change your Pokémon's Tera Type.
Nevertheless, I am going to write the remaining chapters as strictly a Generation VIII game. I've made stupid decisions about the breach of generations before, and I'm not even going to risk it happening again. I already have teams planned out for the remaining Virtual Singers, I've got a bunch of old team notes I can pick through for the randos, and Jeanne's team has been established for seven chapters now.
Speaking of, from this point forward, Jeanne's team will be in top fighting condition; full evolutions, movesets unrestricted by level, and all empowerments are now an option. The remaining chapters will mostly be pure combat, and I'm not even going to bother writing said combat as being reflective of gameplay. Area of effect is gonna even out, but other than that, my only concern is trying to write an entertaining battle scene.
Pokémon and all related properties © Nintendo. Virtual Singers of Piapro Studio © Crypton Future Media.
The Boy in the Woods
After the encounter with Ardos, Jeanne knew there was still room for improvement with her team; only after she had every possible resource at her disposal did she elect to tackle the next Colosseum.
Forest Colosseum was situated in a quiet wood in the northwest; according to the tourist's pamphlet, there had once been a castle of sorts in the same forest, but it had been neglected in the past and torn down when the Piapro idols came into Pokétopia's ownership. As she stepped into the lobby, Jeanne found a blonde-haired boy standing in the lobby; he looked eager to see Jeanne arrive, breaking into a smile.
"Well, there she is!" Len mused. "There's a challenger I've been looking forward to!"
"Looking forward to?" Jeanne echoed. "Are you saying you've been waiting for me?"
Len shook his head. "Not exactly. But after you gave Miku such an excellent fight, I've been hoping I'd get to see you in my Colosseum, too!" He started towards the battlefield entrance, waving to Jeanne as he left. "Here's hoping you put on as much of a good show here!"
Jeanne sighed. "I can do my best," she murmured.
+x+x+x+
"Ladies and gentlemen, hellooooo!"
Len's yell to the crowd earned a loud cheer coming down through the trees; in the interest of preserving the feel of battling in a wood, most of the building aspects of Forest Colosseum were raised above the ground, leaving only the battlefield at ground level. Jeanne arrived at the pre-battle room from a lift, finding the door positioned between two closely-grown trees that only just had the door's width between them (thank goodness for sliding doors that wouldn't bang into a weighty trunk); she couldn't see the bleachers unless she went looking for them, and even then she had to strain her eyes.
Considering every Colosseum in Pokétopia was made big enough to accommodate their Power Spots, she doubted the crowd's view was too different than if they were at ground level.
"Thank you all for joining me this afternoon in this beautiful wood," Len proclaimed. "Our combatants promise to give us an equally beautiful battle, and I do hope that you'll show them appreciation in the best way a battle can get!"
The crowd gave a roar in the affirmative.
Len bowed. "Then without further ado, here come our fighters!"
He marched off towards the red corner as the doors on each end opened; Jeanne stepped out to find a lovely sunset filtering through the trees. She reached the marker where she was supposed to stand shortly behind her opponent - a muscled figure who Battle Pass had identified him as Natra.
"You want peace?" The man seized a Poké Ball in each hand for the Double Battle, slamming them against each other before him. "Prepare for war!"
"I've got nothing to be afraid of," Jeanne asserted, readying her own Poké Balls.
Both Trainers hurled their Poké Balls forward; a seraphic figure in red and white opened her eyes alongside an elegant figure in icy white and purple... and found themselves standing opposite a towering black-and-white and a serpentine cream-and-pink. The Sun Pokémon gave a low and displeased cry that was drowned out by Len's voice over the loudspeaker. "Volcarona, Froslass in the blue corner! Gothitelle, Milotic in the red corner! Let's see what they bring to the show!"
"Make it rain, trick!" Natra yelled.
"Take out the showboater!" Jeanne instructed.
Milotic twisted into a spin, her motions glowing with liquid light, and storm clouds manifested above the battlefield. "The red corner opens up with a change of scenery!" Len observed; Volcarona knew it would be a wasted effort to try and absorb sunlight from under the rain, and unleashed a screeching Bug Buzz in Milotic's direction; the Tender Pokémon took the blow without too much struggle, only to be blindsided when Froslass proceeded to unleash a blasting Shadow Ball as well.
Gothitelle aimed a hand at the Snow Land Pokémon, causing particles of solidified psychic power to manifest around her; Froslass quickly dove aside as the Psyshock converged on where she had been, cracking the earth that she had been floating above. Milotic made to blast Volcarona with a Hydro Pump as the Sun Pokémon loosed another Bug Buzz; the rushing water narrowly missed one of Volcarona's wings, dissipating before it hit the trees that surrounded the battlefield as the Water-type was bombarded with sound again.
Froslass was about to follow through with a second Shadow Ball before Gothitelle was suddenly up behind her ally; the Astral Body Pokémon slammed a two-handed Feint Attack into Volcarona's back, causing the Bug-type to cry out and leap away - and leaving an unpleasant burn on Gothitelle in the process. Froslass elected to take advantage before anyone on Natra's team could try to unmake it, sweeping her arms out to bombard the Psychic-type with a Hex; the attack reacted with the burn and intensified, and the single blow was enough to knock out Gothitelle in a moment.
"A Hex to condemn them!" Len mused. "And the blue corner takes the advantage!"
Miltoic draped herself in an Aqua Ring as Natra withdrew the fainted Psychic-type; then she rushed forward, and Froslass was surprised when the Tender Pokémon approached her, twisting to strike with an Aqua Tail. The reason became clear when Natra sent out a Shiftry in response; the Wicked Pokémon promptly unleashed a Hurricane that ripped across the Colosseum, slamming into Volcarona with enough force to knock her out in retaliation.
"The red corner finally lands a hit - and what a hit it was!" Natra yelled in protest against the remark, though Len didn't seem to notice as he continued; "The field is even once again!" Jeanne quickly withdrew Volcarona as Froslass loosed an Ice Beam in Shiftry's direction; Goodra was sent out as backup, and after only a moment to assess the battlefield, he loosed a Sludge Bomb at the Wicked Pokémon for a one-two.
Jeanne was impressed when Shiftry was able to stay standing through the blow - though the sickly hue that promptly crossed his leaves made it clear that the poison had left its mark. With a loud cry, he unleashed another Hurricane at Froslass, who had no chance to evade before the winds battered her clear across the Dyna-sized battlefield and threw her into a tree. Goodra seemed to eye up Shiftry for a moment as Jeanne withdrew the unconscious Snow Land Pokémon; then the Dragon-type turned to Milotic, leaping into the air and then coming down with a crash of Thunder.
Milotic had already taken a few good hits; the Electric blast was absolute overkill, knocking out the Tender Pokémon before the voltage had even run its course. Shiftry looked like he was about to take retribution with another Hurricane, but the poison was swiftly too much, and he fell to the ground as well.
"And the poison takes its toll!" Len observed. "Looks like the red corner is down to their last Pokémon!" Natra withdrew his Pokémon as Jeanne sent out Primarina; with an angry yell, he threw out one last Poké Ball, deploying a Delcatty who looked like she wanted to wreck the world.
Until she saw that she was alone in the red corner.
Primarina turned back to Jeanne and raised a Z-Crystal in one flipper, asking a silent question.
"No, that'd just be rubbing it in," Jeanne insisted.
The Soloist Pokémon pouted, turning back to face the battle as Delcatty charged forward. Goodra was welling up a Hyper Beam when the Prim Pokémon halted in front of him and twisted to strike him with her tail, the Fake Out knocking him off his guard before he could blast her; Primarina unleashed a Sparkling Aria as the rain started to subside, the song carried in the water striking her ally with a lot less force than her enemy. As Delcatty charged in retaliation; the Soloist Pokémon dropped down, slamming her flippers to the earth before unleashing a single forceful note of Hyper Voice.
Delcatty managed to hold on as the note subsided, and was nearly about to land a blow on Primarina before a Dragon Pulse slammed into her from behind and finished her off.
"There it goes!" Len cheered. "The blue corner has claimed a decisive victory!" Natra withdrew the unconscious Delcatty with a sour look, storming off as Jeanne stepped up to meet her Pokémon's offered high-fives. "Challenger, I hope this is just a taste of what you've got to offer!"
Jeanne raised her Poké Balls, withdrawing her combatants as the last of the rainclouds dispersed. "So do I."
+x+x+x+
Primarina did get the chance to put her Z-Crystal to use in the fifth battle, clutching a victory with a gorgeous Oceanic Operetta to finish off a Rhyperior who had nearly turned a perfect victory on the part of Jeanne's team into a terrifying loss.
"What an exhilarating battle!" Len applauded as Jeanne gave the Soloist Pokémon an appreciative hug. "The blue corner managed to seize victory from the jaws of defeat!" Jeanne quickly started back towards the gate so she could patch up her team. "Challenger, that makes five wins in this lovely forest - which means it's time for your final match!"
Sure enough, the Battle Pass of her opponent showed the very blonde-haired boy who had greeted Jeanne upon arrival - and his team made her glad that Primarina had gotten to show off in that last battle.
"If you would?"
"I most certainly would, Len!" replied a voice that Jeanne recognized as Rin's; in the time it took her to make sure her team had been healed up, Len had already stepped out onto the battlefield. "Time for the big finale! Our challenger, with an uninterrupted victory streak, is ready to face the king of Forest Colosseum!"
Len drew a Poké Ball from his belt with his right hand and tossed it up before himself before seizing it in his left hand, spinning it atop his finger - and Jeanne noticed a Dynamax Band on his left wrist. "Let's see what you can really do!"
Jeanne grinned, seizing a couple Poké Balls for herself. "I'm not pulling my punches!"
Two figures in blue and yellow emerged before Jeanne, one canine and one avian; before Len appeared a towering floral figure in green and a noxious figure in vibrant hues. "The blue corner: Lucario and Acheops! The red corner: Roserade and Muk!" Jeanne had recognized the Alolan variant of the Sludge Pokémon, making her glad that Primarina had gotten the chance to show off in the previous battle. "Let's see what they've got!"
Jeanne drew out her Key Stone, closing her hand on it to provoke the Lucarionite around the Aura Pokémon's wrist. "Go for the mess!"
"Wreck the flyer!" Len instructed.
Mega Evolution draped Lucario, and Archeops quickly soared towards Muk with unburdened speed; the Poison-type intercepted the charge with a forceful Gunk Shot that slammed into Archeops with great pain, but the First Bird Pokémon kept flying, bombarding the Alolan Pokémon with Acrobatics. No sooner had he soared free than Lucario was up at close range, following through with a barrage of Close Combat blows; Archeops, meanwhile, found his power sucked out of him by an emerald light, the Giga Drain delivering his vitality to Roserade instead. Another Gunk Shot from Muk was narrowly evaded by the Flying-type; Lucario leapt clear of where it landed, hurling an Aura Sphere at Muk from midair to finish it off.
"Bombed out by Aura Sphere!" Rin exclaimed. "The blue corner takes an early lead!"
With a low growl, Roserade whirled into a spin while Len was withdrawing Muk, scattering petals in every direction; Lucario managed to endure the blow without too much struggle, but Archeops was knocked out of the sky. Jeanne quickly withdrew the First Bird Pokémon as Len sent out a Gallade; the Blade Pokémon swiftly charged at Lucario, landing a Sacred Sword with enough force to send Lucario rolling across the ground. The Aura Pokémon managed to right himself as Jeanne sent out Froslass to take Archeops' place; after only a moment to assess the situation, the Ice-type unleashed a ferocious Blizzard towards Len's Pokémon.
The howling ice seemed to pass Gallade with little effect; Roserade wasn't so lucky, being battered ferociously by the cold and freezing solid when the blow wasn't enough to finish her off. The Blade Pokémon swept his arm across for a Psycho Cut as Lucario tried to retaliate; the flying edge finished off Lucario in mid-charge, and his Mega Evolution subsided from around him as he fell to the ground.
"Carved up with a Psycho Cut!" Rin warned. "The red corner has turned the battle around!"
Jeanne growled, withdrawing Lucario as Froslass made to retaliate; a Shadow Ball flew towards Gallade, but he took the blow without struggle and charged forward, striking the Snow Land Pokémon with a Night Slash. Froslass barely managed to endure the blow, but quickly realized her efforts were better suited to another target; as Jeanne sent out Goodra, an Ice Shard soared forward, narrowly missing the Blade Pokémon and slamming into the still-frozen Roserade with enough force to finish her off.
Len withdrew the Bouquet Pokémon with a smirk. "Alright, then," he mused, raising his last Poké Ball. "Let's make it good!"
"Here we go!" Rin cheered. "Our Colosseum Leader is taking this battle to the max!"
Jeanne swore as the idol held out the Poké Ball in his left hand - and his Dynamax Band started to shine, particles flowing out of the Wishing Star and converging on his Ball. It shone for a moment before expanding to the size of a soccer ball, and Len didn't even take it in both hands, turning round and hurling it into the open area behind him. As it opened, a heavy figure in electrical yellow emerged, growing in three bursts until it was towering above the trees, at which point its feet hit the ground with a crash.
Electivire gave a loud cry, shocking the remaining Pokémon back to the present; Goodra quickly blasted Gallade with a Dragon Pulse, knocking him out before he could finish off the already-weak Froslass. The effort wasn't lost on Len; as he withdrew the Blade Pokémon, he quickly yelled to Electivire; "Melt the ice!"
Jeanne raised her Poké Ball towards Goodra in return. "Let's get you on even footing!" she instructed.
The Thunderbolt Pokémon thrust a fist down towards Froslass, who didn't have enough energy to do much more than bring her hands together before the Max Flare surged down and washed over her. Sunlight began to sear down upon Forest Colosseum as Jeanne initiated her own Dynamax; as soon as the Ball enlarged, she hurled it backward and then turned to withdraw the Snow Land Pokémon.
"Both corners are down to the wire!" Rin proclaimed. "Who's going to be the one to claim this win?!"
Goodra wasted no time - as soon as his feet hit the Colosseum again, he gave a ferocious roar as only a Dragon could, blasting Electivire with a Max Wyrmwind. With a low cry, the Thunderbolt Pokémon slammed one hand into the ground, sending a Max Steelspike ripping across the battlefield to slam into Goodra and leave him stumbling back. The Dragon Pokémon lashed his head skyward once he had his footing again, and Max Ooze gushed out from under Electivire, nearly knocking him off his feet.
A thunderous cry sounded as Electivire slammed his hands together.
A furious roar emerged in return as Goodra reared back.
Electivire thrust both fists forward, and Goodra opened his maw in return; two Max Strikes surged forth at once, crossing each other ineffectively and then slamming into the opposing Dynamax Pokémon with enough force to fill the Colosseum with light. The blast of a Dynamax forcibly subsiding emerged from the red corner, and when Jeanne could see clearly again, she found Electivire falling onto the ground, knocked out.
"What an amazing performance!" Rin cheered as Len withdrew Electivire with a sigh. "The blue corner managed to force their way to victory against all odds!" Goodra's own Dynamax subsided; and Jeanne smiled back at him before making to withdraw him in turn. "And that means the challenger has emerged victorious in Forest Colosseum!"
Len stepped forward, a grin on his face as he approached Jeanne. "Not bad at all," he praised. "You were every bit the opponent I was hoping for." He offered his hand.
"And you really made me give it everything I had," Jeanne returned, accepting the hand and shaking it.
"Better keep that energy going," Len asserted. "Rin's gonna be disappointed if you can't put up the same fight against her."
Draco: Yeah, as that topside author's not suggests, I started writing this chapter shortly after my run through Paldea, and then my Pokémon mood faded out. Let's see if I can maintain it this time.
I've noticed that, in the core series, Z-Power and Dynamax aren't really that common among everyday Trainer opponents as you'd think. Like, every major opponent in Alola has a Z-Ring or Z-Power Ring, and likewise for Dynamax Bands in Galar, but the Trainers you run into while walking the routes almost never do. Even in Max Raid Battles, Dynamax doesn't show up when you're doing it solo with the random NPC allies. I'm not including any of the empowerments among the random opponents in Colosseum Mode for that reason. That doesn't mean that you couldn't use Dynamax before the Colosseum Leader, though; I'm just having Jeanne save the good stuff for the grand finale.
As I mentioned in Chapter 5, each Colosseum in Grand Stage has its own possible start-of-battle weather, appropriate Camouflage, effective Nature Power move, and added Secret Power effect. Forest Colosseum may open a fight with Grassy Terrain; regardless, Camouflage will make your Pokémon a Grass-type, Nature Power will turn into Energy Ball, and Secret Power may inflict sleep. Colosseum Mode battles take place at sunset, and you need to earn your first win in Double Battles.
Also, it's been observed that in the Galar Battle Tower, Leon has a giant selection of possible Pokémon, but he always includes his Charizard on his team for the purposes of Gigantamax. The Virtual Singers would likewise always include a certain Pokémon on their team for the purposes of empowerment (and although Miku doesn't have empowerments in Arrival Colosseum, she would always include her Shiny Mawile). Len's team in Forest Colosseum consists of Hypno, Roserade, Pangoro, Gallade, Alolan Muk, and Electivire - his Dynamax choice is Electivire.